Overseas Study by Japanese in the Early Meiji Period

Overseas study by Japanese, as well as the employment of foreign teachers and advisers In the formative period of modern Japan, have an extremely Important historical significance. Under the pressure of powerful nations of the West In this period, Japan was driven to open Its gates and was suddenly brought into contact with the world. For reasons of geographic proximity, Japan at various times in its history had made contacts with China and Korea in East Asia and with parts of South East Asia. In the modern period Japan developed close contacts with the nations of Europe and America and its relations in various ways with the outside world set Japan upon its unique historical course. In fact, the history of modern Japan is inseparable from the history of its foreign contacts. ¹